Oakwood University facts for kids

Quick facts for kids
Oakwood University

Former names	Oakwood Industrial School (1896–????) Oakwood Manual Training School (????–1917) Oakwood Junior College (1917–1932) Oakwood College (1932–2008)
Motto	Education, Excellence, Eternity
Type	Private, HBCU
Established	1896 (129 years ago) (1896)
Religious affiliation	Seventh-day Adventist Church
Endowment	$15.6 million
President	Leslie Pollard
Undergraduates	1,810
Location	Huntsville , Alabama , U.S. 34°45′22″N 86°39′11″W / 34.756°N 86.653°W / 34.756; -86.653
Campus	Suburban, 1,185 acres (480 ha)
Colors	Blue & Gold
Nickname	Ambassadors
Sporting affiliations	NAIA – GCAC USCAA Division I – Independent
Mascot	The Ambassador

Oakwood University is a private university in Huntsville, Alabama. It is a Historically Black College and University (HBCU). This means it was founded to educate African American students. The university is owned and run by the Seventh-day Adventist Church. It is the only HBCU that belongs to this church.

Oakwood University campus

Oakwood University is officially recognized by important groups like the Southern Association of Colleges and Schools. This allows them to give out associate, bachelor's, and master's degrees. The university also has its own Christian radio station, WJOU 90.1 FM.

Oakwood University is special because it's the only HBCU in the U.S. that has an ISO 9001 certification. This means it meets high quality standards. In 2014, it was the first HBCU to offer a Massive Open Online Course (MOOC), which are online classes open to many people. In 2018, the U.S. Senate praised Oakwood for helping many African American students get into medical schools. That same year, it won an award for its programs that promote healthy living on campus.

University History

Starting Years

Oakwood University began after the American Civil War. At that time, many African Americans who had been enslaved were freed in the South. There was a need for schools to help them get an education. In 1896, the General Conference of Seventh-day Adventists bought a large piece of land. They wanted to create a school that would teach useful job skills and offer spiritual guidance to African American students.

The school was named Oakwood Industrial School because of the many oak trees around it. Students had to work on campus to help pay for their classes. Boys worked in machine shops and on the farm. Girls worked in the print shop, laundry, and tailor shop. Classes started in November 1896 with 16 students. Over time, the school's name changed several times. It became Oakwood Junior College in 1917. By then, it offered programs in farming, teaching, and nursing, along with religious studies.

Students Seek Change

In 1931, students at Oakwood wanted better conditions. They felt their work schedules were too heavy and their pay was too low. They also wanted more academic classes and more African American teachers. Students went on strike and asked for changes. In 1932, the school started to have more African American teachers.

Later, James L. Moran became Oakwood's first African American president. Under his leadership, Oakwood became a four-year college and was renamed Oakwood College.

During the 1950s and 1960s, the American civil rights movement was happening. At first, Oakwood students were not very involved. However, in 1962, Martin Luther King Jr. visited Oakwood. It was the only place in Huntsville that would host him. After his visit, some students became more active in the movement. They tried to attend local white churches, but faced challenges. Despite this, some male students joined groups with students from other schools to seek equal service at local businesses.

Growth and Recognition

Oakwood started with only 16 students in 1896. By 1917, there were over 100 students, and by 1927, over 200. The school was first recognized as a junior college in 1943. Its first bachelor's degrees were given out in 1945.

Between 1958 and 1963, Oakwood worked to become a fully accredited senior college. It joined the United Negro College Fund in 1964. By 1974, over 1,000 students were enrolled. In 2003, Oakwood offered many different types of degrees and had about 1,700 students from 38 countries.

In 2008, Oakwood College officially became Oakwood University. It also started offering a graduate program in religion. Enrollment grew to 1,865 students from 42 U.S. states and 30 countries. By 2012, enrollment reached over 2,000 students. In 2016, Oakwood received full accreditation from the Adventist Accrediting Association.

What Students Can Study

Oakwood University offers many different degrees. Students can study in these main areas:

• School of Arts & Sciences
• School of Business & Information Systems
• School of Education & Social Sciences
• School of Nursing & Health Professions
• School of Theology

Oakwood also works with big companies like Science Applications International Corp. (SAIC), Boeing, Leidos, and Honeywell. These partnerships help Oakwood students get internships and jobs in STEM (Science, Technology, Engineering, and Math) fields. This gives students real-world experience and helps them prepare for future careers.

Student Life and Activities

Oakwood University has over 30 clubs and organizations for students to join.

Musical Groups

Oakwood is famous for its music! The Aeolians are the university's main touring choir. They were started in 1946. This choir has 45–60 members and travels all over the world. They have performed at the White House and the Kennedy Center. Other musical groups include Dynamic Praise and Voices of Triumph.

In 2010, a vocal group from Oakwood called Committed won the TV competition The Sing-off. In 2017, The Aeolians choir was named "Choir of the World" at a festival in Wales.

Academic Competitions

Oakwood University students are also great at academic competitions. In 2008, the Oakwood University team won the Honda Campus All-Star Challenge National Championship. This competition features teams from HBCUs across the nation. Oakwood won again in 2009! In 2017, Oakwood won the tournament for a third time, without losing a single game. This makes them one of only a few schools to win back-to-back championships in this competition.

Sports and Athletics

Oakwood's sports teams are called the Ambassadors (men's teams) and Lady Ambassadors (women's teams). The university is part of the National Association of Intercollegiate Athletics (NAIA). They compete in the Gulf Coast Athletic Conference (GCAC).

Oakwood has teams for five different sports:

• Men's teams: baseball, basketball, and soccer
• Women's teams: basketball, soccer, softball, and volleyball

The university also offers many fun intramural sports activities for students.

Men's Basketball Success

The Ambassadors men's basketball team has won several championships. They won the USCAA National Championship in 2008, 2012, 2016, and 2019. In 2016, they became the first college in Alabama to win three men's basketball championships! Their fourth title came in 2019 with a close win.

Study Abroad Opportunities

Oakwood students can study in other countries through a program called Adventist Colleges Abroad. This program lets students attend Adventist universities outside the U.S. and still earn credits for their degree at Oakwood.

Notable Alumni

See also

• List of Seventh-day Adventist colleges and universities
• List of historically black colleges of the United States
• Seventh-day Adventist education